Foundation garment



Feb. 24, 1953 v w. A. ROOK FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed March 9, 1951 I N V EN TOR.

Wzua/v/Q F00 Patented Feb. 24, 1953 FOUNDATION GARMENT William A. Book, York Mills, Ontario, Canada, assignor to The H. Vi. Gossard 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 9, 1951, Serial No. 214,681

2 Claims.

This invention relates to figure molding foundation garments for women and it has for its object to provide a novel and improved garment of this type which combines stiffness and support with easy flexibility and maximum comfort and freedom of movement to the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form-fitting foundation garment composed of a plurality of sections of various elasticities which are so related as regards their position, size and direction of stretch as to fit the body snugly throughout the full length of the garment and insure complete comfort to the wearer when walking as well as when seated.

Still another object is to provide a foundation garment having all of the foregoing advantages, which is particularly characterized by the fact that it will not ride up on the figure when walking or seated. and will therefore give the figure a, smooth non-bulging line which aifords a proper foundation for outer garments in all positions of the body.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

The invention is applicable to various types of foundation garments which are adapted to confine and support the body, including girdles of the side-opening and step-in tvpes, all-in-one combination garments, front lacing corsets, front lacing combinations, etc.

An ever present problem incident to the design and construction of such garments is that of combining the proper support with minimum weight and bulk, while at the same time providing some way to lessen the tendency of the garment to ride up on the figure when walking or when seated, since garters alone (when garters are used) do not adequately perform this .function. I

The use of various modern controlled-stretch elastic fabrics, by incorporating same in a garment in various ways heretofore proposed, has not in itself solved the above problem, as evidenced by the fact that additional means are frequently added to otherwise satisfactory garments to minimize their tendency to hitch up on the figure. One such expedient is to mount sponge rubber or other traction strips or pads inside a garment to grip the flesh of the wearer and thereb frictionally anchor the garment in place. Another expedient is to construct a garment partly of sheet rubberized fabric honeycombed with holes which minimize slipping by traction or sometimes by suction. Such devices are objectiona-ble because they are not entirely effective, they som times cause chafing, they create areas of localized strain or pressure, and they often restrict ventilation, to say nothing of the added cost resulting from their use.

The garment disclosed herein for the purpose of illustrating the present invention is a step-in girdle having a convenient side closure extending from the top to a point below the waistline. The garment is composed of a combination of fabrics which are elastic or inelastic in various directicns, so related as regards their position, size and direction of stretch as to afford all of the advantages mentioned above and hereinafter described in detail; and a particular feature resides in constructing the lower portion of the back of the garment of one-way horizontally stretchable elastic fabric which, in combination with a similarly stretchable band at the waistline and an intermediate vertically stretchable back panel, holds the garment securely on the body and effectively prevents it from riding up while at the same time insuring a proper fit with complete comfort and freedom of movement to the wearer.

Although the novel features which are characteristic of the invention are set forth more in detail in the claims appended hereto, the nature and scope of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which a specifio embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

l is a front view of a girdle-type foundation garment embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of said garment;

Fig. 3 is a front perspective view on a reduced showing the garment as worn on the figure;

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view, on a similarly reduced scale, showing the garment on the figure; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the seam joining the front panel to the sides of the arment.

In the following description certain specific terms are used for convenience in referring to the various details of the invention. These terms, however, are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

The girdle shown in the drawin comprises an inelastic central front panel I extending from top to bottom of the garment and containing vertical stiffening busks 2 to assist in supporting and, flattening the abdomen; horizontally and preferably slightly vertically stretchable elastic side sections 3 and 4 having one longitudinal edge stitched as by an open fagoted seam 5 to the respective longitudinal edges of front panel I, and having the opposite longitudinal edge suitably stitched to narrow inelastic side sections 6 and 1, respectively; and a composite back portion which is stitched to the rear vertical edges of inelastic side sections 3 and I and is constructed in a novel manner presently to be described. The inelastic side sections 6 and I may contain vertical stiffening busks 8, and section 6 has a vertical opening extending from the top of the garment to a point below the waistline and controlled by a slide fastener as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The composite back portion of the garment comprises an upper waistline band of one-way horizontally stretchab e elastic fabric 10, made in one piece or in a plurality of pieces joined by a binding strip [2, which has its ends stitched to the upper vertical edges Of inelastic side sections 6 and 7, respectively; a pair of narrow horizontally and slightly vertically stretchable elastic sections l3 and It secured to band 10 and inelastic side sections 6 and 1, and extending down to the bottom of the garment; a broad bottom section or band of one-way horizontally stretchable elastic fabric having its ends stitched to the lower vertical edges of sections l3 and I4; and a central back panel it of one-way vertically stretchable elastic fabric which is stitched to the bands to and i5 and to the sections [3 and [4, as shown in Fig. 2. In the embodiment illustrated, stiffening busks i? are secured to the top waist-band I0 and sections i3 and I l. Garters i8 of any suitable type are secured to the lower edge of the garment.

The horizontally stretchable lower back section l5 extends the full width of central back panel l6, and the depth of said section I5 is preferably substantially the same as the depth of the upper horizontally stretchable band [0 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is three inches, both of said sections [0 and 55 being of substantially less depth than the central back panel IS. The incorporation of the horizontally stretchable elastic section l5 in the bottom of the back portion of the garment permits the garment to be fitted snugly to the body for its full length, thus preventing the garment from riding up when the wearer is seated or walking. The additional stretch provided by section [5 also prevents any tightness or binding efiect in the lower portion of the garment when the wearer is seated, or when walking. These advantages are gained without sacrificing any of the figure molding properties of the garment which provides adequate control throughout and affords a smooth non-bulging foundation for outer garments.

Although a specific embodiment has been shown and described herein for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is capable of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A figure molding foundation garment for women adapted to encircle the body of the wearer at least from the waist downwardly to a point below the hips, and comprising a central front panel which is inelastic at least in a horizontal direction, longitudinal side elastic sections connected to the side edges of the front panel and stretchable in horizontal and vertical directions for tensioning said front panel over the abdomen, and a composite back portion connected to the rear side edges of said side sections and including an upper section of one-way horizontally stretchable elastic fabric cxtending substantially the entire width of said back portion at the waistline, a central back panel of one-way vertically stretchable elastic fabric secured to said upper section, and a lower back section of one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable only in a horizontal direction secured to the bottom of said central back panel for snug y fitting the bottom of the garment circumferentially upon the figure.

2. A figure molding foundation garment for women adapted to encircle the body of the wearer at least from the waist downwardly to a point below the hips, and comprising an inelastic central front panel extending from top to bottom of the garment, side sections connected to said front panel and having portions composed of horizontally and vertically stretchable elastic fabric extending from top to bottom of the garment for tensioning said front panel over the abdomen, and a composite back portion connected to said side sections and including an upper section of one-way horizontally stretchable elastic fabric extending substantially the entire width of said back portion at the waistline, a central back panel of one-way vertically stretchable elastic fabric secured to said upper section and to the elastic portions of said side sections, and a lower back section of one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable only in a horizontal direction secured to the bottom of said central back panel and to the elastic portions of said side sections, said upper and lower back sections of horizontally stretchable elastic fabric being of substantially the same depth and being of less depth than said central back panel.

WILLIAM A. ROOK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,014,545 Wipperman Sept. 17, 1935 2,034,167 Wipperman Mar. 17, 1936 2,199,442 Mayonnade et a1. May '7, 1940 2,347,154 Kahn Apr. 18, 1944 2,523,409 Wittenberg Sept. 26, 1950 

